It All Started in Alaska
by TheBestForksAren'tTheShinyOnes
Summary: Jacob uncovers Edward's greatest secret when he runs into a stranger in Alaska. What will he do with this new discovery? Post-Eclipse. ON HIATUS
1. 1 Forever

**I don't own Twilight or anything in it**

* * *

It had been four months, and I was finally able to resist the smell.

Of course, every time its fragrant aroma found my nose, my body still reacted. I went stiff as my senses sharpened, my mind functioning at an unbelievable speed. Instinctively, I turned towards the victim, my eyes going dark as I sighted my prey. But just as I was about to pounce, I would feel a strong pressure on my shoulder. Edward's hand. "Patience, Bella" he would murmur into my ear. My body would relax, the alluring fragrance would gradually fade, and my clenched hands would release. I would take Edward's hand and his strength would seem to fill me, helping me resist and take control of my common sense. As we walked away, the electricity between the victim and I would fade, and I would be fine. After each encounter I could feel my thirst, my longing for blood, weakening. Even though I was only being tested with animal blood, it was a start. Someday, I was sure, I could face humans on my own. Without Edward's help. Not that I ever needed to.

We were together every second of every day, the way it was supposed to be for newly married couples. I grimaced as I thought the word. _Married_. I was still getting used to the idea, though I had to admit it was beginning to appeal to me. The promise of forever, the way it was official that he was mine and no one else's. Not that I should ever been in fear of him loving someone else, Edward assured me. But still, it was nice to know for sure.

The wedding had been perfect--small, much to Alice's dismay--but perfect. The Cullen house was transformed into a glorious Victorian-style mansion. Deep blue and purple flowers colored the large white house and tall candles burned, releasing a delicate vanilla scent. Emmett's huge stereos played out a soft and soulful recording of my lullaby.

The dress was my Anne of Green Gables nightmare come to life, only this time it felt like a dream. It was cream colored with a high-buttoned neck. The body was long and straight, slightly poofing from the waist down. The bodice and long sleeves were intricately detailed with pearls and golden thread that weaved all the way up to the shoulders. A hat with the same color of the dress was fixed on my head to contribute to the old-timey look.

Alice played hairdresser, pulling and arranging my hair into a mass of curls high on my head, a few loose tendrils left floating around my face. My face was meticulously made-up, foundation smoothing any flaws and a golden tone emphasizing my chocolate brown eyes. Alice had taken advantage of my oversized lips, shading them with a soft pink and a thick layer of gloss. Being Alice, she had insisted on an outrageous blood red, but after I pointed out the layers of thick eye shadow, she reluctantly surrendered, pouting her lips into the most sad and devastating look I had ever seen.

"It would have looked perfect," she had said in a pathetic voice that was still eerily beautiful, "I _know_." I laughed and gave her a hug, compromising to allow a little bit of pink.

"No blush?" Rosalie had complained after they were done.

"Trust me," Alice winked, "she won't need it."

The wedding had been a little awkward at first, especially Charlie leading me down the aisle. I blushed as everyone's eyes were on me; I didn't like being the center of attention. I could tell Charlie was uncomfortable too. Every few steps we took down the long white carpet, he would adjust his bow tie, or straighten his suit, or something like that.

The ceremony was good so far. It was long, and I was extremely uncomfortable in the death trap Alice called shoes. I had tried to convince her that stiletto heels were really not my style, but she ignored me. "They're going to look _gorgeous_," she gushed, tying a bow on the ribbon that wound up to my calves. I was sure I was going to topple over any second. I was blushing just thinking about it. Finally, it was almost over.

"I do," Edward announced, his eyes locked on mine. His golden gaze knocked me breathless and made me dizzy with excitement. I couldn't wait to wake up in his arms tomorrow. I blushed slightly when I thought about the coming night. Our honeymoon was a surprise. Edward hadn't told me where we were going, only that I needed a passport. Dreaming about where we were going helped to keep my mind off my aching feet. Alice was going to get it later.

I still couldn't believe it was really happening. I was getting _married_. Trying to convince myself it wasn't a dream, I looked up at my love. His perfect lips were twisted into amused smile that was strangely annoying, like there was some joke I wasn't getting. I realized the quiet buzz of Emmett's voice was silent, and looked up at him. He was about to burst at the seams with laughter. I turned back to Edward with a confused look on my face. He grinned and leaned towards me, close enough to make my heart pound in my chest.

"You're supposed to say 'I do'"

My cheeks turned the color of the red roses I was holding, and I struggled to recover as I realized my mistake. "I do," I blurted out. Emmett was almost hysterical now. "I now...p-pronounce you... husband a-and wife," he managed to choke out. I had the childish urge to stick my tongue out at him. Edward grinned, not waiting for the next words. His musical laugh echoed in my ears as he leaned in and whispered, "I may now kiss my bride."

He winked at me and then I felt his icy lips calm my trembling ones, evaporating the embarrassment I had felt a moment before. I was unaware of everyone watching us as my tongue tasted only some of what was coming tonight. Then, before I could react, he pulled away, his eyes dancing. "We'll save that craziness for later," he whispered, and I giggled.

We turned towards the audience, ready to walk down the aisle, hand in hand--together, as we would forever be. I caught Charlie's eye, and he beamed. I grinned back, glad that he was finally excepting my decision. Phil wiped Renee's tears with a tissue, and then added it to a soggy white pile at the base of her chair. His gaze met mine, and he rolled his eyes, then smiled. My grin grew wider, taking up my entire face.

Everything was perfect--the bright decoration, my elegant dress, the perfect groom--except something was missing. Part of me wasn't in it, and some of my heart was nagging me, trying to tell me something was wrong. I looked out into the audience, and saw something that made my heart wrench inside my chest.

There, in the back row, was an empty chair. It wasn't for anyone specifically; Alice had put it there to even out the rows. But I know who should've have been in that seat, smiling his lazy grin. A sudden emptiness swept over my heart. I should have invited him. I needed him here. Not like I needed Edward, of course, but my happy heart wasn't completely content without him in my life.

I silently cursed myself. This was _my_ day, and he wasn't going to ruin it for me. No matter how much I missed him, no matter how slow my heartbeat was without him here, I was going to enjoy this day. I had a whole forever ahead of me, and nothing was going to darken this glorious day.

I looked at Edward. My husband. His eyes were shining with a joy I had never seen in him before. I felt guilty; I needed to be happy for him, right now. It wasn't fair to ruin his perfect day.

I pushed the dark clouds behind me and took his hand as we made our way down from the platform Alice had set up. My balance (and stilettos) betrayed me on the last step, and I teetered before falling into a heap on the ground. Edward let out a glorious laugh and scooped me up into his arms, carrying me the rest of the way down the long white carpet.

I smiled at the memory and reached for my husband's hand. He put his book down and smiled. "What are you thinking about, love?"

"Our wedding."

He chuckled. "It's the first time I've seen a vampire almost fall apart. I thought Carlisle was going to have to give Emmett stitches."

I made a face. "Well if you weren't so dang dazzling..."

He laughed, and then leaned in for a kiss that took my breath away. "I could say the same about you," he murmured, running his finger along my icy skin.

Although I couldn't admit to being dazzling, I gasped every time I looked in a mirror. My once ordinary face was now soft and delicate, with full lips and prominent cheekbones. Lustrous chocolate-brown hair hung in waves around my face, reflecting red when the sun shone on it. My eyes were gradually fading from hungry, blood-red to a dull, controlled crimson; a sign that I was gaining control over my thirst. I couldn't wait until my newborn eyes matched Edward's brilliant ones.

I looked up into them now, drinking in the mesmerizing gold of his gaze.

"Trust me," He said with the crooked smile that I loved, "you're beautiful."

Then, before I could respond, he melted his lips against mine in a kiss that burned with love and passion. I felt myself move into his arms, kissing back with matching fervor. I was silently thankful that breathing was no longer necessary. I sighed contentedly as his sweet smell encircled me.

It was nice, forever. I could get used to it.

* * *

Hope you liked it! Review, even if it's just a smiley face or a rating from 1-10. Thanks for reading!


	2. 2 Alaska

Well, here's Chapter 2. Enjoy!

Again, **I don't own Twilight**

* * *

**Jacob's POV**

My mind was struggling to keep up with my legs as I raced through the icy white tundra. The dark evergreens, like my thoughts, meshed into a dark blur as my bare paws pounded the cold snow.

It had been four months since I had seen my brothers and my dad. The range of our telepathy was limited; no matter how hard and long I listened, all I could hear was the whip of the wind through the snowy trees. It was killing me not to be able to talk to them. I had so many questions, needed so many answers. How were Quil and Embry? Was Dad having trouble getting around in his wheelchair without me? Who had taken my place as second in command? The questions bounced around in my head, making me feel dizzy and unbalanced. Sometimes the ache in my heart was so painful that I almost turned and ran as hard as I could to Washington. But I knew I could never go back. Not ever.

Because of _her_.

I shook my head, warding off the powerful sensation of nostalgia. I had promised myself I wasn't going to think about that, the very thing I was running from. It would destroy and tear what was left of me apart. It had already ruined the one thing I could never replace-- my heart was left with a hole that could never be filled, never mind what my dad or anyone else tried to tell me.

I ran harder, trying to leave those thoughts behind me, believing that with every mile passed, one more memory of her disappeared in the spray of snow flying from beneath my paws. Deep down, I knew the hole was as deep as ever, but I had to try. It was the only thing left to do.

The moon was creeping up towards the middle of the sky, and the bright yellow of the sun was fading into dark pink and purples, creating a breathtaking sunset. Instead of stopping to admire and appreciate it like I would have months ago, I mentally calculated how much time I had left. Not much. It was time to find shelter.

I changed directions and headed for the dense forest, searching for some kind of cover where I could defrost the iciness that wove through my body. Slowing my run to a fast walk, I noticed that the snow was falling faster and harder, the delicate snowflakes from earlier today replaced with thick pelts of hard ice.

In a few minutes I had found a small den. It was too small for my huge werewolf body, so I phased back to my human form--something I rarely did anymore. I relished my speed, and my body barely noticed the cold from the constant falling snow of northern Alaska. Hidden inside my thick fur and strong muscles, I was impenetrable--no one was ever going to hurt me again.

I still had to squeeze, but I managed to fit inside the dark cavern with a few feet of movable space left over. The low earthen walls were damp and the ground was frozen solid. I tried to find a comfortable curve in the wall, but it was like trying to get Embry to stop flirting with every girl in our high school--useless, and a waste of time. I smiled slightly at the memory, but then winced as my heart was torn a little more, the hole dug a little deeper. Finally I gave up and settled on the rock-hard ground.

As I faded slowly into unconsciousness, my thoughts were centered around only one thing: Bella.

**Cassie's POV**

Leaning against the cold marble of the shower wall, I tried to let the hot water warm my unnaturally cold body. The water flowed over me and loosened my hard muscles, sore from running, and helped to ease my pounding headache, the result of too many heavy thoughts jumbled in my mind.

This new coven seemed nice enough, but there was something about them that stirred my instincts and made imaginary butterflies flutter in my stomach. The leader, Charlotte, was bold and slightly sadistic, with a wry sense of humor. Her fiery red hair was menacing, and I cringed every time I saw it. The other five members of the coven were the same way; fear dominated their expressions whenever she spoke to them and they never looked her directly in the eyes.

Along with a place in their "family", I had been given my own cabin to stay in. It was ridiculously decorated; the bathroom I was in now was almost completely made out of marble, with extravagant chandeliers lighting the room and a giant Jacuzzi tub taking up most of the floor space. Charlotte gave no explanation for her wealth, but replied with a shrug and the weak excuse of "It's from those who had no need for it any more."

Squinting, I looked for the tube of shampoo on the long marble shelves that lined the shower wall. I picked up a blurry bottle; it was blue and not too heavy. Definitely shampoo. I squirted some onto my hand and rubbed it into my scalp. It smelled strange, like--peppermints? That was weird. I shrugged, rinsed the shampoo out, and turned off the water. Reaching out from behind the shower curtain, I felt the towel rack. Nothing. It must have fallen on the floor. Moving my hand blindly across the tile, I felt something furry and picked it up. Wrapping it around my body, I stepped out of the shower into the now-steamy bathroom. Grabbing my glasses from the counter, I slipped them on and headed for the main bedroom to get my clothes.

Suddenly my head began to itch; my scalp felt like it was on fire. Rubbing away the fog that covered the vanity mirror, I inspected my burning skin, but found nothing unusual. I hurried back into the massive shower and looked for the shampoo; maybe I had used it wrong. Scanning the shelves that lined the shower wall, my eyes locked on a small blue bottle, the one I had _thought_ was shampoo. Reading the label, I growled at myself, promising that I would get contacts the next time I was in a town.

_Crest's Toothpaste_

Well, that explained the peppermint smell.

I doused my head with cold water until the burning sensation went away and then went to get some clothes. As I was searching the humongous closet for my blue sweater, the front door flew open and in stepped Charlotte. My eyes doubled in size, and if I could have, I'm sure I would have blushed right then. She gave a trill little laugh and swatted her hand. "Sorry, dear. I should have knocked." Usually that was someone's cue to leave, but Charlotte just flopped down on my bed. I hoped I was hiding my fear well. I was struggling to keep from shaking.

"Anyway, it's been a week since we've gone, and everyone's starting to get antsy. You look like you could have a drink yourself," she pointed to my dark eyes. "We're going to leave in a few minutes. Do you want to come?"

The words echoed through my ears, and my world started to spin. With one hand holding the towel up, I grabbed the dresser with the other, trying to right myself. _Already_? I had just gotten here, and I now I would have to leave. As soon as they found out. Just like so many times before. Anger bubbled inside of me, pulsing through my veins, and I had to strain to keep it from showing. I would _not_ leave again. I had to come up with something convincing. I would _not_ move again. I just had to figure out how I was going to do it.

Trying to sound nonchalant, I answered her with a shrug. "Ummm...yea. Just let me finish this." I pointed to the towel wrapped around my body. I was still a little PO'd about her barging in here.

She smiled, amused, though I didn't see anything funny about the whole thing.

"Okay, see you in a few." She had one hand on the door, but before leaving me to get dressed, she turned around.

"You _do_ know you have a rug wrapped around you, don't you?"

* * *

Sorry if that was a bit confusing. Yes, Cassie is a vampire, and she has glasses. Like Bella, she's "unique". I think little quirks make characters interesting :) 

And about the rug, in case you didn't get that. Remember when she was in the shower and she thought the towel had fallen from the rack? She just forgot to put one on there and accidentally grabbed the rug off of the floor.

R&R, even if it's just a word or two.


	3. 3 Hunting

Finally! An update! Sorry it's been so long; I was working on some cute little one-shots. Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. **

* * *

After Charlotte finally left, I dressed in a sweater and jeans and ran a brush through my wet hair. I slipped on some boots and headed reluctantly towards the door. There was no way I could get around it; they would be suspicious if I stayed behind. I would have to go along and try to figure out a plan on the way.

I walked slowly to the clearing where the five members of the clan were waiting. Charlotte spotted me and turned towards the forest, excitement radiating from her pale body.

"Ready?"

I gulped and nodded.

"Let's hunt!"

Struggling to stay composed, I ran behind them. My feet barely touched the snow as I dodged the thick evergreens and raced the wind through the mountains of northern Alaska.

Every so often we stopped to try catching a scent, and finding nothing, moved on. Luck ceased to accompany us until suddenly Charlotte came to a dead-stop. Raising her nose to the sky, she inhaled deeply and gave us a wicked grin.

"Mmmmm...Campers."

Excited whispers broke out amongst the group, and Charlotte gave the signal to follow her. Heading west and towards innocent humans, I was running out of options.

When we reached a clearing minutes later, I still had no idea what to do.

"There," Charlotte pointed.

Five unsuspicious campers were huddled around a campfire, enjoying their breakfast. Watching them happy and unaware made my stomach lurch. These men, who probably had family waiting for them at home, were enjoying their vacation, unaware that they were about to become a meal. Even though it's impossible for vampires to vomit, venom filled my mouth and burned my throat. I had to swallow it to keep from dry-heaving into the nearest bush.

The humans' blood was a tantalizing fragrance, but the thought of killing innocent people for my own needs was enough to keep me from attacking them.

I had to do something _now_, or I would never forgive myself.

"Charlotte," I said, too low for any of the campers to hear, "there isn't enough food here for all of us. I'll go in search for more."

Focused on her prey, she dismissed me without a glance.

"Go. We'll be here waiting."

I nodded and set off at full speed, ignoring the questioning glances from the other vampires. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, but it wasn't fast enough. I was only a mile away when they started. Screams echoed through the mountains, loud and terrified, until they gradually dwindled and stopped completely. The silence left behind was more horrifying than the screams that it surpassed. I grimaced and ran faster.

A minute later, I stopped, convincing myself that if I didn't drink now, I would have to go hunting again soon. Then they would surely discover my secret.

The air held a whiff of something delicious--deer, maybe? I followed the scent and discovered a buck grazing on bark from a tree. Realizing that Charlotte and the others were probably wondering where I was, I attacked it, letting its sweet blood mix with the venom in my body. After finishing, I discarded the carcass and antlers and ran back to the clearing.

"Find anything?" a newer vampire named Jeremy asked with an eager and hopeful look.

"No. Sorry," I said nervously, trying not to notice the drained bodies burning in the campfire.

I noticed Charlotte tucking an object into her pocket, something dark brown and made of canvas. It looked like a man's wallet. So _that's _where she got her money. I was repulsed.

Minutes later, she doused the flames and led us to the clan home twenty miles away.

As the trees whipped by me, I imagined what it would be like to be human again--to hunger for ordinary food, and not someone's innocent blood. What would it be like to live among others without feeling like a freak? How would it feel to just be _normal_? But I would never be normal again.

All thanks to _him_.

Anger boiled inside of me and I scorned myself; it was unreasonable to think about impossible things.

We arrived at the clan home then, and Jeremy gave me a lopsided grin.

"So how'd you like your first hunt? It's too bad you didn't find anything. Maybe we can try again tomorrow."

"Ummm, yea. Sure. Of Course." I was wringing my hands, something I did when I was nervous. I hoped he didn't notice.

"If only I was human," I whispered miserably. Jeremy hadn't answered me, and I looked up to see if was even there. His pale body was still, not moving an inch. He was staring at me, his mouth and eyes stretched wide.

"What?" I asked, looking around, frantically trying to see what was wrong.

"Wh-What's happening to your hands?"

I looked down.

My hands looked like they were dissolving. They tingled seemed to be melting. Icy hard skin was softening into warmth, and not just in my hands. My whole body was changing—I could even feel my eyes fading from dark gold to a lighter green and warm blood pulsing through my body. What was happening to me? I was suddenly cold and scared. I needed to find Charlotte. Maybe she would know what was wrong with me.

I looked up to see if she was around, and was met by the blood-red eyes of five suddenly ravenous vampires.

Jacob POV

"_Help!_"

I looked around frantically, trying to find my way out of the forest and to the source of the screams. They seemed to be coming from every direction, surrounding me, suffocating me. I felt like a mouse in a maze, only this time the prize at the end was much more important than a slice of cheese--it was Bella.

"_Jacob!_" her cry sounded again. I pushed my way through the dense brush, looking for a way out. I had been running for hours, the screams never ending, and getting louder with every minute.

Searching the forest for an opening, I was met only by hordes of trees with no pattern to them, no clear path to anywhere. Frustration was building up inside of me. I was ripping at the seams, anger and sadness and despair eating up my body. Every time I thought I had found a pathway out, it just ended in the same clearing that I had started in. Finally I collapsed, weeping, the screams still echoing all around me.

I was jolted from my sleep by a shriek. Bathed in sweat and head pounding, I listened again, trying to separate dream from reality. Was I still asleep? Was this the end of the nightmare?

The scream came again and I raced towards it, phasing as I ran. _Is it Bella? What's she doing here? Why is she screaming?_

A million thoughts ran through my mind in the few minutes it took, none of them comforting and all of them making me angry and confused. I pushed my emotions aside when I got to the source.

Standing before me was what looked like some kind of campground. Six cozy log cabins were arranged in a circle, and everything looked normal. It was silent, and I wondered if I had heard any screams at all.

To be sure, I peeked around the corner, hoping that no one would notice a giant wolf-head coming from behind one of the cabins. I stopped dead in my tracks, infuriated at what I saw. Five vampires were circling a human girl. She had dark brown hair, and at first I thought it was Bella, but then realized she was too young. She looked barely fifteen.

The bloodsuckers kicked and taunted her. Blood gushed from a wound in her head, and I could tell their resistance was weakening. So focused were they on their prey that they didn't even acknowledge my presence. Her suffering would end any second.

My instincts now uncontrollable, I leaped into the air, landing right beside her. Ferocious growls ripped through my chest and my jaws snapped at the shocked leeches. They recovered quickly, but not quick enough. The girl was on my back and I was running before they had time to attack.

I ran faster than I had ever before. I had no idea what I was doing, but I couldn't let them kill this innocent girl. My padded paws were well equipped to handle the thick snow, and I was sure I was far ahead from the vampires following me. I looked back and growled. The stupid bloodsuckers were in quick pursuit. I raced through the forest I now knew better than the ones at La Push, and I was gaining more ground with every minute. Finally, there was nothing behind me, no flashes of white or infuriated growls. They must have given up. Taunting them for their weakness, but also glad for their retreat, I found a safe place to set the girl down.

Leaning her up against a thick tree, I examined her wounds. Her dark, curly hair was matted and painted with blood, giving the snow around it a pinkish tint. Her clothes were ripped and dark lines ran across her arms. It was a wonder her glasses were still on. She was small and slim. I was surprised she was still alive. She was barely conscious, murmuring something like, _If only...If only…_ I waved a hand in front of her face.

"Umm...Hello? Can you hear me?"

Her green eyes widened for a second, and then she fainted.

_Great._

Groaning, I picked her up and looked until I found a den big enough for both of us. There was one far enough away from the coven, and I laid her inside. Cautiously, I brushed my finger against the deep wound on her scalp. She flinched slightly as the pain registered and then she went stiff. Repulsed, I wiped the blood on the dirt floor. I hated playing doctor. Putting pressure on her head, I waited for the bleeding to slow and then wrapped the wound tightly with a tear of my T-shirt.

I had no idea what I was going to do with her, but I knew that I couldn't just leave her while she was like this. While I waited for her to regain consciousness, I went out in search of firewood. She was going to be cold when she woke up.

* * *

Review and tell me what you think, or point out any mistakes you see or advice you can give. These past few chapters have been a little...morbid, but I'll try to get some light-heartedness in soon! Thanks for reading :)


End file.
